


But If The Mouse Were Smart

by storiesinthedark



Series: Fics from Fandoms of Long Ago [2]
Category: Rent - Larson
Genre: Break Up, Cheating, F/F, F/M, Getting Together, Implied/Referenced Sex, POV First Person
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-01-31
Updated: 2007-01-31
Packaged: 2019-01-22 06:52:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12475860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/storiesinthedark/pseuds/storiesinthedark
Summary: Maureen talks about her time dating Mark and how exactly she met Joanne.





	But If The Mouse Were Smart

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted to the Rent Fanfic Challenge community on LJ.

"Hickory Dickory Dock,

The mouse ran up the clock!

When I saw him, I ran as well,

Up to the top of the clock!

Hickory Dickory Dock,

The mouse ran up the clock!

The clock struck one,

The mouse ran down, but I stayed put,

Hickory Dickory Dock!

But, if the mouse were smart,

He would have torn apart,

Everything that time aged,

Hickory Dickory Dock!"

I shouted this at the top of my lungs, my voice echoing across the open lot.

"How was that?" I asked coming to sit on the edge of the stage.

"Beautiful," Mark said walking over and giving me a kiss. He had been watching the performance and working on my equipment. After all, he was my boyfriend and production manager…that was his job.

"Thank you…" I responded looking into his beautiful blue eyes. I could get lost in his eyes…. "SO…what are we doing?"

"About what?" He fiddled with his camera. He loved it more than me. I know he loved it more than me! But he did love me.

"Dinner…the rent…Roger…" I eyed him. He was so wrapped up in that camera sometimes he forgot to look at reality. "You know we need to eat and Benny called about the rent the other day and Roger's getting ridiculous with…oh…what's her face-"

"April."

"-Yes, April and Mark we need to do something!"

"I'm working on it, Maureen." He said to me. "Come on let's go get some food at the Life."

I pulled him as we trudged through the streets of the East Village and soon arrived at the Life.

"Two," I said to the guy seating people and soon we were being shown where to sit. That's when I saw her. She was gorgeous. Her brown eyes, her black hair, and that figure…oh, I wanted to touch. I slapped my mind away from it. I had a boyfriend…a really good boyfriend. He loved me.

"Maureen." He called tapping my arm.

"Yea…huh?"

"What do you want?"

I paused. "I think I'll have an order of fries."

The waiter that had already taken Mark's order wrote it down carefully and waltzed away.

"What did you get?" I had to focus on something other than her. She was so distracting. I kept looking over my shoulder.

" Soy burger and a miso soup. Same as always." He reached into his pocket, and pulled out ten dollars. "This should cover it."

I didn't pay attention. My focus was on her. A few minutes passed and soon she was walking right by the table. She hit my shoulder.

"I'm sorry." She apologized immediately.

"It's okay," I said. Mark looked curiously at the two of us…did he know about my thoughts?

Our food soon came and we left…well, I left. Mark decided to sit there in the café and fiddle with his damn camera some more. It was perfect. This was just the chance I needed to try and find her.

 

 

It was almost eight. EIGHT! WHAT! I rolled over and looked at the strange alarm clock that was sitting on the table. Where was I? I sat up. Oh, no…

I glanced over at the sound asleep woman lying beside me. What had I done? What had I done to Mark? I rubbed my forehead.

She moved and slowly sat up next to me. "You okay Maureen?"

"…Ummm…sort of…" She wrapped her arms around me.

"What's wrong?"

"Well, you see…I kinda gotta go…" I scrambled to put my clothes on and hurried out the door. I was supposed to be rehearsing with Mark at the lot. How could I do this to him? But, you know…what he didn't know didn't hurt him…

 

 

It was the same story for almost a month. I would rehearse, Mark and I would go to dinner and then I would leave. Mark would go out filming after dinner and I would go meet her.

I never meant for Mark to find out this way. It was an accident…this whole thing. But I wasn't really upset about it. Mark loved his camera…I was just second place. I need that attention…I need my audience…Joanne gave that to me. She gave me everything. Mark…was an artist…a filmmaker…not a successful one either…

It was November 20, 1989. He was supposed to be out filming, but I guess there was nothing to film. He came in and there we were…

"Mark!" I screamed pulling Joanne away from me.

"What's this all about?" He looked at me remotely calm.

"Well…" I heard Joanne quickly run towards the door. Mark didn't notice her. How he couldn't was beyond me, he noticed everything, but I guess he was too focused on me…for once…just me… "Mark, look. I've been lonely. I need attention…"

"Yea… I know…what's wrong?"

"Pookie…look…I think we…we need to just see other people."

He was taken off guard. "Huh? Maureen…I thought we were…I…"

"Mark, look. I found somebody. Somebody who actually cares about me more than a silly camera."

"But, Maureen I do care about you more than my camera. I let you have your way with everything. I don't question you…what more do you want?"

"I want attention. I want someone who I can depend on."

"Maureen. I give you attention. You're the star of every film. I pay for things."

"But, I want someone stable."

He looked at me dumbfounded. I had never seen him like this.

"If you had to, would you fight for me?" I asked him. My eyes were beginning to burn into him.

"Maureen, you know I would…"

"Do I?" I looked at him, he wasn't sure if he would fight for me. "If you would you'll come get me back…"

I walked into our room and grabbed a duffle bag. Quickly, I threw a few pairs of jeans, a few shirts, and my few very personal belongings. I began to walk toward the door.

"If you want me, and you'll fight for me…you know where to find me. You're still my production manager." I smiled slightly and walked out the door. I left him…alone.

He never came after me…although he said he loved me every time he saw me. He'd beg for me to come back, but I couldn't. So, he would run my equipment and then wander back to the loft.

I wanted to take him back. But I wanted Joanne, too. And besides, I couldn't be with someone who wouldn't fight for me.


End file.
